‘Love Island USA’ Season Seven Star Amaya Espinal for Herbal Essences

In the game of love, sexy scents always prevail.

No one knows this better than “Love Island USA” season seven winner Amaya Espinal, the face of Herbal Essences’ new “Scent Trap” campaign celebrating the timeless impact of its Rose Hips fragrance and the emotional power of a long-lasting aroma. A retro-play on the viral “thirst trap” trend that’s swept social media in the last few years, “Scent Trap” sees Espinal let her hair do all the talking, or flirting rather, in a series of 1990s- and early 2000s-inspired infomercials, skits and “how-tos” centered around the Rose Hips scent.

“When I think about Rose Hips, I think about freshness and making a statement,” Espinal told WWD over the phone.

Available in shampoo and conditioner, the Herbal Essences Rose Hips line has transcended generations with its complex composition since it launched 25 years ago. “It’s rose, but it’s not singular. It’s very multifaceted. You have this kind of little citrus brightness and the fruitiness and this alluring, very comforting, very warm, a little sensual musky note that goes through the shower and onto the hair, and it’s that lasting impression,” said Stacy Hertenstein, master perfumer at Procter & Gamble, Herbal Essences’ parent company. “I feel like everyone remembers where they were when Rose Hips first came out.”

According to Rob Reiss, vice brand president of North America hair care, a single bottle of Rose Hips sells every two seconds. “It’s one of our most iconic and best-loved product lines, a bestseller year after year, with a decades-long track record of delighting consumers and fueling brand loyalty,” he told WWD. “Strategically, Rose Hips represents both our rich heritage and our continued relevance: it’s a scent that evokes nostalgia for longtime fans and sparks curiosity among new consumers.”

Partnering with Espinal for this campaign, Reiss continued, will allow Herbal Essences to attract younger consumers “who look to relatable, influential voices for product recommendations.”

Espinal stole the hearts of millions of viewers this summer as a self-proclaimed “sensitive gangsta” with on-the-spot anecdotes and an unapologetic — often fiery — attitude on season seven of the fan-favorite dating series. Since winning “Love Island USA” in July alongside Bryan Arenales, Espinal has been catapulted into the spotlight, gaining north of 3 million followers, a fanbase nicknamed “The Papayas,” and a major partnership with gut-healthy soda brand Poppi. “I feel like Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ It’s been great, and the chaos is beautiful,” Espinal said of her post-villa life. “It’s been life changing in the best way possible.”

A collaboration with Herbal Essences was a bucket list item for her. “I always used it growing up. So, when I found out that they were down to collab with me, I was like, ‘Wait, hold on now, my friend.’ Now we’re here, and it’s just been a full life-circle moment, going from shopping and always picking Herbal Essences to do my hair, my shampoo, my conditioner, to now working with them has been an amazing moment,” she gushed.

Asked what the three beauty essentials of a “sensitive gangsta” like herself are, Espinal said Rose Hips, lip gloss and body oil. “I don’t just like it simple. I need a little shimmer in my body oil, baby. I want to be glowing,” she said. “Whatever I apply on, baby, you know I’m going to be leaving smelling good.”